John Whelan: Pandemic has permanently changed the way we shop
Ireland’s retail online sales was €2.5bn in 2019, up by 17% from the prior year.
The lockdown brought on by coronavirus accelerated the adoption and penetration in Ireland of buying online, with Argos, Tesco, and Amazon taking the top three positions.Â
Over a few months, many shoppers have moved from viewing online buying as a 'convenient' way to an 'essential' way of getting everyday goods. This was very evident in the latest Central Statistics Office figures which show that Irish shoppers doubled their buying online in the first half of the year. The shift in buying habits was most obvious in April when the full effect of the Government's lockdown on shops came into effect, with online sales increasing by 500% compared to the prior year. This trend continued into May but dropped significantly in June as restrictions on people's movements were lifted and shoppers re-engaged with their favourite local shops.
